Land Use Consultants, with Countryside Planning and Management and Entec, were commissioned by English Nature (EN) in Septembcr 1995 to carry out a study to investigate the characterisation of farming in EN’s Natural Areas (NAs). The study was a pilot exercise which aimed to:
- develop and test a methodology to characterise farming in a sample of four NAs (Greater Cotswolds; Lincolnshire Wolds; North Pennines; and Exmoor and the Quantocks);
- identify the measures that are required to achieve nature conservation objectives within these NAs given the prevailing character of farming in the Areas;
- make recommendations on how the methodology that is used may be applied to other NAs by EN’s staff.